DEAMER CHASING REPEAT OF LAST YEAR’S HAWKESBURY PMC QUALIFIER

SAME trainer, same jockey, same race and same mission!

Just a different horse.

Newcastle trainer Jason Deamer won the opening Qualifier of last year’s Provincial-Midway Championships series at Hawkesbury with $21 chance Rapt, ridden by Tim Clark.

And that combination is hoping to replicate Rapt’s performance this year with another mare Just In Time.

Deamer today confirmed Just In Time as a definite starter in Thursday’s opening 1400m Qualifier of the 2026 PMC series, with Clark aboard.

The first two horses home will be the first of 15 to qualify for the $1m Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 11 on Day 2 of The Championships.

Rapt, who has finished her racing career, came from well back last year to defeat Bojangles and Art Volant at Hawkesbury before finishing seventh to Matcha Latte in the PMC Final.

A member of Dynamic Thoroughbreds team, Just In Time is a lightly-raced five-year-old daughter of Justify.

Her 11 starts have yielded four wins and a placing, and she last raced when a close sixth to Poster Girl in the $1m Fillies and Mares (1300m) at the Magic Millions carnival at the Gold Coast on January 10.

Since joining Deamer’s team, Just In Time has had five starts for three wins; the latest on resumption in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1250m) for five-year-olds and upwards at Canterbury on January 1.

“I thought she ran really well at the Gold Coast, and finished off strongly to be beaten less than two lengths,” Deamer said today.

“She had a nice tick-over trial at Newcastle last Thursday on the Beaumont track, and is ready to go to Hawkesbury.”

Ridden by Aaron Bullock, Just In Time defeated Emalyn and another PMC candidate, Kris Lees’ Tasoraay, in the 1000m Open heat.

. Three additional entries were received for Thursday’s Qualifier (for both provincial and Midway horses), lifting the number to 17.

Acceptances for all races at Hawkesbury will be taken at 9am tomorrow (Tuesday).

. Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup made it 34 wins for the season when Pro Velocity scored on the Beaumont track today.

But he immediately called a halt to the mare’s campaign after the Class 1/Maiden Plate (2100m).

Ridden by Christian Reith, Pro Velocity ($6) outgamed Stormzino ($3.10) to post her second victory from 17 starts.

“That’s it,” Widdup said. “She has reached her mark here and will do her future racing in Tasmania.”

Pro Velocity has been raced on lease by the trainer’s wife Milissa and daughter Maddison with the mare’s breeder John Clancy.

“Milissa wasn’t keen on bringing her back this campaign, but I’ve managed to win two races with her (the first at home last November over 1400m),” Widdup said.

The stable’s star sprinter Jedibeel will get Caulfield experience by galloping there in the morning in preparation for his first-up tilt at Saturday’s $750,000 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m).

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees extended his recent winning run to seven when Trounce (Andrew Gibbons) took the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1150m) against her own sex as a $2.15 favorite.

The I Am Invincible mare’s victory was her second from seven starts, and she has also been placed on three occasions.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, FEBRUARY 16, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS